Claiming Compensation when Hit by an Uninsured Motorist

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Claiming For Uninsured Driver Damage
[02.09.11]

Accidents happen unexpectedly and cause great distress and anxiety to everyone involved. They can happen for no fault of the driver's and be a result of the carelessness of other drunk or reckless drivers, and can also be caused by weather related issues such as rain, sleet or snow and so on. The number of vehicles that are on the road in the UK and the number of road accident related claims lying in court have been on a steady increase, people often find themselves as a victim of such incidents specifically owing to the negligence of uninsured motorists.

The issue of vehicle insurance:

Generally, people have their vehicles insured; this insurance could be comprehensive or third party liability only. In the UK it is mandatory for drivers to hold appropriate insurance for their vehicles; however there are times when people drive their vehicles without insurance of any nature, their vehicles could be uninsured intentionally or due to negligence in renewing the insurance policy. It is the uninsured driver and his vehicle that cause other law abiding motorists untold distress and inconvenience if involved in an accident.

The available options when hit by an uninsured motorist:

In the United Kingdom there are currently two options that are open to citizens who are a victim of accidents involving uninsured motorists, they are:

1. if the claim is less than £5,000, one can take the driver to the court by following the small claims process

2. one can also seek the help of the Motor Insurance Bureau to claim compensation for such an accident

Whatever be the case, in the event of an accident, where the other vehicle is uninsured, one has to ensure that one collects as many details and all relevant information required for claiming compensation. Here are a few steps that must be taken while dealing with a claim related to an uninsured motorist:

• The first step is to make a note of the vehicle make, the model of the vehicle and the registration number

• It is also critical to note the name and complete address of the driver if it is possible. This might be impractical in a hit and run case, which is why noting down the details of the vehicles is the primary step one must take

• Making a complete and detailed record of the damages caused to the insured vehicle and the other vehicle is the next step to be taken

• One must also make a note of the area and the exact location of the accident, the name of the road, the locality etc. Details like was the accident site a main road, a crossroad or a circle or signal and so on are critical

• Detailed description about the time of the accident as also the conditions at the time of the accident - was it raining, was there snow or sleet on the road, and was it day or night? and other such details are crucial at the time of claiming compensation

• If the accident was witnessed by people, that is a big plus. The victim must obtain all contact addresses and telephone numbers from key witnesses as that will help in case

• In case the damages are of a serious nature, the police have to be called in to record the accident. Even otherwise it is important to register any kind of accident with the police

• Pictures of the accident will strengthen the evidence

In conclusion, claiming insurance for an accident involving an uninsured motorist can be difficult, but the above steps must make it simple for people to go about the same if and when the need arises.

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